Improvement in straightening-machines



2 Sheets-Sheet 1..

' J.s. ATKINSON.

STRAIGHTENING MACHINE.

Patente Nov. 30, 1.875.,

i .Humm W N. PETES, PHcT0-L|TMOGRAPHER WASH NGTQN D C ZS'heets--Sheetl- J. S. ATKINSON.

H MWQON 8 1 n..J l l 3 4 Nu ...r v. A. N l@ m .N i o nw| m d u .N H N w l- FNI mv w :in d .M fl .l m Aw NN n. ...d ...W s .Nv M u Y. o i n. .F b I nu JAA .M d H P. x 1 l l I 1| f l 1 l C A n- M M om um T.. mw H mm. N E E T b ...m H L5 G d I A la# .Il n w T s HS. .PP II \w UNITED STATES PATENT GEEICE.

JAMES S. ATKINSON, OF PITTSBURG, ASSIGNOR TO BENJAMIN JONES, OF

ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVElVIENT IN STRAIGHTENING-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 170,461, dated November 30, 1875; application filed August 2, 1875.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JAMES S. ATKINSON, of Pittsburg, county of Allegheny, State of Pennsylvania, have invented or discovered a new and useful Improvement in Straightening-Machine 5 and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, concise, and exact descrip' tion thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, making a part of this specification, in which-like letters indicating like parts- Figure l, Sheet l, is a perspective View of my improved machine. Fig. 2, Sheet 2, shows a transverse vertical section through the driving-gear of the bearing-rolls near one end of the machine. Fig. 3 is, for the most part, a longitudinal sectional elevation, some parts being broken away to show devices situate in other than the general .vertical plane of the section. Fig. 4, by a sectional view of the double eccentric, shown in the upper part ofl Fig. 3, further illustrates its operation. Fig. 5, vSheet l, is a detached sectional plan View through x w, Fig. 3, and Fig. 6 is a detached plan view of the double clutch and band- Wheel of Fig. 1.

This machine, while applicable to straight ening and bending metallic rods, shafts, bars, and tubes generally, has been gotten up with particular reference to its use in the straightening of what is known in the trade as cold'- rolled iron. Rods, shafts, and bars are produced by this process of considerable size in cross-section as well as of considerable length, and as for the purposes for which they are designed they must be almost perfectly true it isa matter of no small difficulty to straighten themv perfectly except by the use of machinery capable of acting with great accuracy, delicacy, capacity, and strength, and also without injury to the highly-polished surface which `is ordinarily produced in the cold-rolling operation.

The-frame-work A of the machine, supported on any suitable rests, A1, consists of two longitudinal beams, having each a T-head, a, at a little distance apart, so as to form a longitudinal slot, al, and on the outerV face of each beam, a little below the T-head, is a ilange,on one beam marked a2 and on the other a3. These beams are suitably connected at their ends and bythe rests A1 or otherwise so as to preserve a ixed relation to each other, and form a single rigid frame. A bracket-arm, B, rises from each end and carries a main driving-shaft, B1, to which motion is communicated by a ban/d-wheel, B2, or in any other suitable way. A sliding head, D, is mounted on the frame A by means of rollers d, which rest and roll on the iianges a2 c3, andv it is steadied in position by means of lugs d1,

which pass under the outer iianges of the T` heads a, as represented in Fig. 2. From the head D an arm, Dl, extends out and by a collar or sleeve, d2, engages a bearing, b, to which is affixed a bevel-gear wheel, bl, which latter meshes into and drives a'bevelgear wheel, g, the f shaft of which extends transversely across the head D, and at its other end carries a pinionwheel, g1, which, in turn, meshes into and drives the wheel g2, and through it the shaft g3. The

main driving-shaft B1, the bearin g b, and bevelgear Wheel b1 are fitted with a groove and key, b2, or other like means, so that, as the head D is moved back and forth on the frame A, for purposes presently to be explained, it will, by thearm D1, carry the bevel-Wheel b1 with it, and theconnections of gearing described will at all times be perfect.

not passing through, the hub of the pulley c2. Another shaft, e, Figs. 2 and 6, enters the other elnl of the hub, for purposes presently to be explained. The pulley-wheel c2 revolves loosely on the shafts c c, but each end of its hub is made of a clutch form, so that by a sliding clutch collar, c3, keyed to the shaft c and a forked shifting-lever, c, it maybe connected at pleasure with the shaft c, so as to cause its rotation. The power for this purpose is taken from the main driving-shaft B1 by a pulley-wheel, b2, band b3, and further transmitted by the band-wheels and band f f 1,

and shaft in the plummer-blocks f2, to the sustained'by therests; b'ut when'down the shaft S will rest on the rollers r'rl.

at which the restfblocks nl may be set. from ycach other, I make therein a series of notches, i 05,'at distances apart equal.tov those of they The rest-blocks n1 beholes g3 in the bar q1. ing `set at the proper distances apart, 011e of the notches o5 will readily engage each cross- Any suitable'stop device may be embar o. ployed to keep the rests n from coming entirely out `of their sockets or turning around therein, such as a set-screw entering a slot in :the side of each rest n, the slot being closed at its lower end. To give an upanddown Inotion 4or stroke to the plunger P, I employ an eccentric, p, the outline of the shaft g3 being..

as to vary the points at which it shall begin v and end, I introduce between the eccentric-p and its yoke p1 an eccentric sleeve, w, and extend such sleeve outside the ends of the yoke, so as to attach thereto one or more levers, w', by means of which levers I bringv the full side of the eccentric sleeve to any desired point relative to the full side of the eccentric p. By bringing the full side of the eccentric sleeve up, as in Fig. 3, the plunger P will be raised a distance equal to the eccentricity of the sleeve, and the full side of p being also up, as in Fig. 3, the plunger will then be at the highest point for beginning a downward stroke; but if the full side of the eccentric sleeve, as in Fig. 4, be down, the full side of p being up, the plunger P will be at the lowest pointfor beginning adownward stroke; and to increase the length of stroke of the plunger P, I first throw the full side of the eccentric sleeve up, as in Fig. 3, let the plunger P make a full downstroke and come up; then throw the full side of the eccentric sleeve down, as in Fig. 4, and so lower the plunger, after which it may make a farther downstroke. In this way I provide for straightening a crook or curve greater than the average. Either of these two strokes of the plunger may be shortened, according to the amount of crook or curve in the shaft S, by adjusting the full side of the eccentric sleeve at the proper point between the highest and the lowest.v The two levers w are attached simply to enable the workman to regulate the stroke from either side of the head D.

As an additional means for regulating the length of the stroke ofthe plunger I make it in two parts, P P', and connect them by a screw, s, the head of which is secured to the plunger-head P', so as to rotate freely therein, bu-t with the threaded end playing in a tapped socket in the plunger P, as shown. Around the shank of the screw I make a worm-wheel, s1, in suitable position and arrangement to be To adapt the crank-arms o2. for the different distances can vary the adjustment ou whichever side of the headD he may happen to be. And that `this adjustment may not be 'made at random,

Iattach to the bearing of each end of the stem a dial-plate, c, suitably graduated, and

to each' end of the stem an index-iingeuc'. `The plunger P is prevented from turnlng as the screw s revolves by means of aset-screw,

y, entering a slot in Athe side of the plunger. The lower end of the plunger is recessedso as to take a firm bearing on rthe shaft IS in the operation of straightening. The shaft S to be straightened is placed on the rollers r r1, with therests u down. A curve or crook being found, and its length approximately ascertained, its crown is turned upward; The rests n are adjusted at the proper Ldistances.V The head D, carrying with it all the straightening devices described, is then adj usted in position with the plunger P directly over the apex of the crown of the bend. The rests a are thrown up so as to take the weight of the shaft. The plunger is adjusted to give the desired length of stroke or strokes, and after these are given the rests n are lowered, so as to let the shaft S come on the rollers r r1, and a test is made to ascertain the correctness of the work already done, or the presence of crooks at other points. In this way the work is continued till' the tests show that the shaft is perfectly true and straight.

While the eccentric sleeve may be employed as above stated, I more commonly use it as a means of throwing the plunger out of and into operation. In such use the lower end of the plunger will engage the shaft only when the full side of the eccentric sleeve is down, so that by throwing its full side up it will raise the lower end ofthe plunger so far above the shaft as not to strike it even at the end of its downstroke. Hence, the shaft can be rotated and tested without necessarily stopping the plunger; but if so preferred the plunger may be unshipped, when its action is' not desired,"

by any of the means well knownin the art.` The upper and lower faces of the gripingblock t', or of such movable device as may be substituted therefor, may be either plain, as shown, or be made with inequalities conformed to the irregularities in the chain em.

ployed, by which latter means an eifectual lock will be more easily secured. Also, it will be observed, that the rest-blocks nl may be disconnected from the crank-arms o2, and adjusted by hand to any desired point, as occaslon may require.

I am aware that the upper and lower folds of an endless chain have been locked in the box of a lathe-head by pressure applied to the edges thereof but the arrangement of a cam or eccentric between the lengths or folds, as described, is by far the better construction.

I claim as my invention- 1. In combination with theframe ofa straight eningmac'hinea head, `adjustable thereon, al plunger, and two rests, substantially as and` :for thepurposes set forth.

2. In combination with a `1head, D, a rest,

mon each side, both simultaneously adjusta` `ble up and, down by a single motion, substani tially in the `manner and for the purposes set forth. i L `3.\C[he rest-blocks n1,each adjustable on a frame, A,'to and from the head D,and con- Anected with thehead, so as to be moved therewith, -substantially as and for the purposes `eet forth.

4. ,The combination of vertically-adjustable `rests n: and rollers r r1, arranged on the same `frame relatively to each other `and. to the shaft `to be` straightened, substantially as `and for `thepurposes described.

5.` In combination with a `sliding,r head, D, and endless chain a cam or eccentric, arranged r4 nomi between thelengths for `ifolds ofrthechain to lock either way, and thereby reverse u the moforth. i t

6. In a straightening-machine the bearingrollers r r, adjustable lengthwise of `the machine and along the shaft which drives them, substantially in the manner and i for fthe `purposes described.

Y 7. The band-wheelc, ncombination with a shaft to transmit motionito the rollers r,.and

a line of gearing to'drive the chain," substan tially as set forth. V 1

In testimony whereof `I havevherennto set i i i my hand.

JAMES S. ATKINSON. Witnesses:

H. Fa MANN,

y JAMES M. CHRISTY.

t tion of theI headblock,'substantially1asset l 

